Since the launch of the organization in 2013, Apollo Applied Research has distinguished ourselves as a leading clinic, providing innovative pain management approaches to patients through our Medical Cannabis treatment program.

The study, which launched March 2015, has seen a dramatic involvement, with hundreds of patients on board to help shape the future of medical marijuana research. Patients are reporting not only a reduction in pain score, but as well a reduction in opioid medication use. This is a huge step with medical marijuana use as a treatment for chronic pain.

Opiate abuse has seen a substantial rise in the number of victims left either dependent or physically harmed. The chart to the right is a visual representation of overdose deaths involving opioid prescription drugs from 2001 to 2013.

Opiates also post a threat for severe withdrawal from the first 24 hours the effects wear off up to over 2 weeks. Severe withdrawal can be fatal in some cases, including diarrhea, abdominal cramping, goose bumps on the skin, nausea and vomiting, dilated pupils and blurry vision, rapid heartbeat, and high blood pressure.

Dependency of opiates can vary with its effects (see left), and prolonged use changes the way nerve receptors work in the brain. These receptors become dependent upon the drug to function which can be very dangerous, and increases risk of accidental overdose.

According to a preliminary analysis of Apollo patient data, 27% lowered their use of opioid medications, which included Percocet, methadone and oxycodone. Across all patients, a significant average pain reduction score of 30% was reported.

Through the research, we are proud to present that 54% of patients showed a clinically significant reduction in pain score. Clinical significance is present when a pain score reduction of more than 30% is reached. Patients at or above this level saw an average reduction in pain score of 45%.

On behalf of the Apollo team, we look forward to continuing ground-breaking research to reduce opioid abuse and further treat our patients’ pain in the most progressive way possible. Here at Apollo, our focus is clear: We want to shape the landscape of cannabinoid-based medicine through applied research to become the core frontier of comprehensive medical marijuana research and observational study.

Throughout the duration of the study, we will continue to analyze various strains for a variety of ailments while developing guidelines for medical cannabis prescriptions, creating an advanced, an all-encompassing safety profile for medical cannabis.

We will continue to educate physicians and patients about medical cannabis and its appropriate use, all the while improving the quality of life and empowering our patients and physicians using evidence-based cannabinoid research.